10 Ways to Reduce High Blood Pressure -Healing by Design
There are a couple of main reasons people have high blood pressure. If you address these various reasons with a few lifestyle changes, you will see that there are great options besides medications. But first, let’s take a look at some of the causes of high blood pressure:
Scar Tissue/Fibrin/Plaque Buildup
Stress (elevates the heart rate and increases the production of stress hormones)
Dehydration
Mineral Deficiencies
Sugar/Insulin Problems
Kidney Dysfunction (caused by particle accumulation in the bloodstream)
Thankfully, cardiovascular disease is preventable and reversible if you are willing to change your lifestyle. Below are the top ten steps we have found to be effective in decreasing blood pressure naturally. If you can address each of these areas, your blood pressure should normalize within one week to three months, depending on the severity of your condition.
1. HYDRATION. Dehydration is a leading cause of high blood pressure because your blood pressure is directly related to kidney function and fluid imbalances. When you are dehydrated, everything in your body constricts, like a cactus trying to hold onto valuable water. This includes your blood vessels. Your blood should flow like water in your body. If it gets thick, the heart works harder, increasing your blood pressure. Drinking purified water (not tap water) throughout the day and replacing dehydrating foods and beverages with fruits and vegetables is the best way to stay hydrated. Some popular dehydrating drinks to avoid include soda, black tea, coffee, and milk.
We encourage adding minerals to your water for added hydration because minerals increase absorption (lemons and limes also work well).
Top mineral recommendations:
Perfect Amino Electrolytes by Body Health *Top recommendation
2. HERBS. There are different reasons for high blood pressure, ranging from stress to kidney problems. Taking herbs is one of the best ways to help the body balance and heal multiple issues at one time. Some of the best herbs for high blood pressure include hawthorn berry, beetroot, hibiscus flower, ginger, nettle leaf, juniper berry, holy basil, uva ursi, and cayenne. These herbs help relax the nervous system, cleanse the kidneys, and increase circulation throughout the entire body. We've packaged all of these herbs together in our Blood Pressure Support Powder to make it easy to take them all every day.
Top herb recommendations:
Blood Pressure Support Powder by Spirit of Health *Top recommendation
Blood Pressure Formula by RidgeCrest
3. NITRIC OXIDE & VASODILATORS. There are amazing supplements that increase blood flow and circulation in the body, opening the veins and arteries, called vasodilators. Nitric oxide is a substance naturally produced in the body that heals damage to the arterial system and oxygenates the body. Athletes often take these types of supplements for performance, but anyone with high blood pressure or other cardiovascular concerns will greatly benefit. Each formula works to increase nitric oxide and circulation and open up the cardiovascular system.
Top vasodilator recommendations:
M3 (Miracle Molecule Max) by BioNox Nutrient *Top recommendation
4. ENZYMES. Enzymes are crucial for clearing blocked arteries. These molecules are like Pac-Man (the old game – some of you remember). They clean up old, sick tissue, irregular growths, plaque, and waste from the body. Nothing cleans up the blood better than systemic enzymes, and the formula Neprinol by Arthur Andrew Medical was created specifically for the cardiovascular system. It has been a top recommendation at Spirit of Health for anyone who has any concerns about cardiovascular health. Take on an empty stomach, 30-minutes before a meal or at least two hours after a meal. Start with one capsule upon rising and before bed, but work up to five in the morning and five in the evening (10 daily) for maximum results.
Top enzyme recommendations:
Neprinol AFD by Arthur Andrew Medical *Top recommendation
5. KIDNEY CLEANSE. As we discussed before, high blood pressure is directly related to kidney function and fluid imbalances. If your kidneys are clogged, congested, and not working correctly, it could be causing issues with your blood pressure. The colon and kidneys are the main waste elimination pathways of the body. If these vital organs aren't working and eliminating waste properly, then they affect the entire body. A kidney cleanse will open, cleanse, heal, and restore the kidneys and help bring balance to the whole system.
Top kidney cleanse recommendations:
Kidney Cleanse by Spirit of Health *Top recommendation
Kidney & Bladder Tinctures by Dr. Morse
6. EXERCISE. The body was created to move, and one of the best ways to pump blood through your entire body is by moving. Exercise helps blood move through veins and clogged peripheral blood vessels, clearing up the clogs and also making the body create miles and miles of new blood vessels to feed all the new muscle. Exercise also opens up the entire system, allowing it to breathe. Oxygen is critical for good cardiovascular health as well, and through exercise, oxygen is again able to travel throughout the entire circulatory system more efficiently.
The exercise you choose doesn't have to be complicated to be effective. Walking several times per day at short intervals (10-minutes or more at a time) is extremely effective in strengthening the cardiovascular system and lowering blood pressure. This is due to the longer-lasting effect of more frequent exercise on the system. You can also try biking, yoga, Pilates, rebounding, or a sport you enjoy for at least 10-minutes or more every day.
Top exercise recommendations:
If you're in the Kansas City area, try a class at our Whole Pilates Studio
In this class video, Vaughn goes in-depth on the issue of high and low blood pressure, the causes, and natural remedies to overcome it. The product recommendations in this video may not match some of the suggestions in this article. This blog has been updated since the video was published, and includes the most current information and top product recommendations to date.
7. SLEEP. If we don’t sleep well, our stress hormone levels increase. When we sleep, we de-stress and heal. The most dangerous situations are where we are over-stimulating our bodies before bed (coffee, intense activities, watching flickering lights like the TV or video games, etc.). This over-stimulates and stresses the nervous system, therefore increasing stress-related hormones, like cortisol. An imbalance in cortisol can cause an increase in your heart rate and blood pressure.
Ideally, we recommend the following for a good night’s sleep:
No TV, coffee, or other stimulants before bed.
Go to sleep by 9-10 PM. The more sleep you get before midnight, the more your body heals, the better sleep you get, and the more growth hormones you produce, increasing longevity.
Sleep in a room that is completely dark, pitch black, no light from the windows, alarm clock, cellphones, etc.
Get more information on healthy sleep in these articles.
Top sleep recommendations:
Magnesium Salts or Magnesium Oil by Health and Wisdom for baths and foot soaks *Top recommendation
8. FOOD. The food we eat is directly related to how hard your heart has to work. When you overeat the wrong foods, the body cannot process everything, and our blood gets thick. This makes the heart work and pump harder, causing damage and tearing of the blood vessels. Your body can only heal and repair itself from abuse for so long before the blood vessels are completely blocked, and a heart attack or stroke occurs. One of the best ways to start cleaning up your diet is by removing inflammatory foods, which harden the arteries and any blockages.
Top foods to avoid:
Meat. Meat is hard on the kidneys. We have seen multiple clients reduce or eliminate their animal protein consumption, and their high blood pressure normalizes very quickly.
Coffee. Coffee is a stimulant that damages the kidneys long-term. It is also high in caffeine, which can increase cortisol, causing an increase in heart rate and blood pressure.
Bad Fats. Avoid vegetable oils like soy, canola, margarine, hydrogenated fats and oils, trans fats, fried foods, etc.
All Dairy. Dairy is congesting and mucus-forming, which hinders the healing process and does not help reverse health conditions.
Gluten. Gluten can cause the blood to thicken, producing an inflammatory and autoimmune response in the body. Gluten grains mainly include barley, rye, oats, and wheat. Alternatives would be wild rice, gluten-free oats, millet, quinoa, buckwheat, and amaranth.
Sugar. Avoid processed sugar, candy, baked goods, ice cream, and soda, as well as bread, pasta, pizza, crackers, pretzels, cereals, bagels, etc. More on how sugar affects blood sugar below.
Top foods to eat:
Greens. The specific foods that will heal your veins, arteries, heart, and overall cardiovascular system are mainly leafy greens. The darker, leafier, and greener, the better. Greens contain chlorophyll, the most potent blood cleansing agent in existence. Kale, chard, parsley, mustard greens, collards, leaf lettuce, romaine, and arugula are all great choices.
Beets. Another fantastic food for healing your body is the beet, which works by increasing nitric oxide levels in the body. Juice it, or eat it on salads.
Fruits & Vegetables: Not only are they hydrating, but they are packed with heart-healthy vitamins and minerals, which are critical for healthy blood pressure. Another easy way to get greens and vegetables into your diet is by adding a good greens powder to a smoothie or juice every day.
Top greens powder recommendations:
Daily Greens Formula by Aloe Life *Top recommendation
Power Greens by Spirit of Health *Top recommendation
9. INSULIN. Sugar is one of the most damaging substances that goes into the human body. It will raise your blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides, damage the lining of your veins and arteries, weaken your heart muscle, make you prone to infections by weakening your immune system, feeding cancer cells, and causing diabetes. If you cannot control your insulin levels, you will struggle with high blood pressure.
High insulin causes the kidneys to work overtime. When the kidneys start retaining sodium, you start swelling (edema), and this causes high blood pressure. This is one reason why so many people benefit from taking potassium to lower high blood pressure. The problem is not a potassium deficiency or even an excessive salt intake; it is a sugar consumption problem.
Avoid processed sugar, candy, baked goods, ice cream, and soda, as well as bread, pasta, pizza, crackers, pretzels, cereals, bagels, etc.
Top blood sugar stabilizer recommendations:
Metabolic Vibrance by Vibrant Health *Top recommendation
10. LOWER STRESS. Stress has a massive impact on the body mentally, emotionally, and physically. It elevates the heart rate and increases the production of stress hormones, which, in turn, raises your blood pressure. In the modern world, there are so many stressors you may not even realize you’re feeling stressed, but your body does. It's essential to identify those stressors in your life and learn ways to manage them. An excellent place to start would be to learn how to rest (you can read about that here). You should also look outside of yourself to reduce stress by finding a good community and support system. During the process of reducing stress, herbs can be a tremendous asset as they work with the body to balance hormones and promote relaxation.
Top herbal stress reducer recommendations:
Holy Basil by Cedar Bear *Top recommendation
We hope you find these 10-steps to lowering blood pressure helpful. We have seen hundreds of clients over the years use these simple but powerful principles to get off of high blood pressure medications and heal their bodies from the inside out. Let us know in the comments below if you were one of those people, or if you've used other natural remedies to regulate your blood pressure.